It’s Official: There’s An Ethics Bill

Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office this afternoon released a copy of his ethics bill, now called the “Public Integrity Reform Act of 2011.”

Cuomo was questioned yesterday about why he’s announcing a deal without having a bill to introduce. He called for patience and said the bill was forthcoming—and here it is, all 114 pages of it.

With the bill introduced, it has to age three days and then can be voted on by the Legislature. So with the Legislature leaving town today until next Monday, it’s likely to be adopted next week.

“This legislation will help end an era of corruption in Albany that was fostered by a lack of transparency, oversight and enforcement,” Cuomo said. “This legislation will usher in a dramatic change in the way Albany does business and is a historic step in restoring the public’s trust in government. I commend Majority Leader Skelos, Speaker Silver and their colleagues for their work on this bill and I look forward to its prompt passage and implementation.”